How Ted Let Go of Robin
by dr-canis-horriblus
Summary: A month after the wedding, Ted takes Robin to Central Park to bury a certain iconic object. Inspired slightly by the episode 'Sunrise,' as well as 'Something Old.'


This is just a short little fanfic that I wrote, and it is inspired slightly by the episode, ''Sunrise'', however, in this version, Ted takes Robin to Central Park to bury a certain object by the carousel. This is what I hoped would happen, though the ending of the actual episode was satisfying enough as it was. Sorry if this isn't good, I wrote it late and was only about 2% awake, but I tried. I may write some kind of follow up or something to this, in which Ted will dig up said certain object for a certain someone later on… Also, be prepared for feels in this one.

…..

For more years than he could count, Ted had had an especially hard time letting go of Robin after they broke up. Even during the very chaotic weekend of she and Barney's wedding, Ted still had a few feelings for her, and had found himself more often than not wondering if there was still even the slightest sliver of a chance that he and Robin could make it work after all.

But there wasn't one, and once again, Ted had found himself waiting on something that just couldn't happen. Something that just wasn't possible.

Weeks passed after the wedding, and in those weeks, the best thing that would ever happen to Ted actually did happen- he met his future wife (But of course didn't know this at the moment, though he did have a pretty strong intuition about it.)

And so, with that in mind, Ted decided to do something that would finally allow him to let go, once and forever. It was time.

…

It was a few days after Robin and Barney had returned from their honeymoon (Which had been to Canada, much to Barney's chagrin at first, since he had enjoyed the trip later on more than he expected to, but naturally didn't admit this to Robin), and Ted decided to call Robin up from Central Park. He never gave a reason as to why he needed her there, but he did specify that he needed her, and only her at the time.

So, she met up with him, not once asking why or what was the reason.

As soon as she arrived at the park, she saw Ted, sitting there on a bench under the shade of a tree.

He looked very pleased to see her as she approached, the breeze blowing her hair back ever so slightly, and he thought to himself how beautiful she looked in that second.

"Hey." He greeted her casually, inviting her to sit down on the bench next to him as he patted the stained wood of the seat.

"Long time no see, how was the honeymoon?"

"Great!" she'd responded proudly. "We stayed the night at relatives', then stayed another night at a really awesome hotel with a jacuzzi and an amazing overlook of the mountains, we went skiing, Barney, uh, fell a couple times and almost broke several limbs, but he figured it out and then things got..pretty romantic up there in the snow, and then we stayed at another, really trashy hotel, and almost got into a brawl with a Canadian chain gang." She smiled like this was something to be proud of.

"A Canadian chain gang, huh?" Ted seized this opportunity for a Canada joke. "What were they in chains for anyway, saying thank you too much? Leaving too many $100 tips for their waiters?"

Robin couldn't help but smile and laugh just a little. "Yeah, maybe!" She played along with it, knowing how much corny joking meant to Ted.

Several minutes later, Ted announced, "You know why you're here, right?"

"You never told me why.."

From the side of him, Ted lifted up an object that was immediately identifiable- the blue French horn- and held it up. Robin's face was a picture of disbelief, of awe as he showed it to her.

"This is why."

Robin, still slightly unsure of what was going on, didn't say anything.

"Come with me," Ted gestured as they got up. They walked for awhile in the park. The air that day was warm from the impending heat of the approaching summer, and there was a light breeze that blew every once in a while, which seemed to grow into a more powerful wind as the clouds started to darken and roll in above their heads.

Eventually, they arrived at the spot. The carousel, a place of familiarity for both Ted and Robin, who had been there not at all long ago.

"Ted…" Robin paused, taking it all in. "What does this mean?"

The wind grew stronger as they stood there, a few droplets of rain blowing here and there loosely.

Ted picked up a large shovel. "You'll find out soon enough." He handed another one to Robin. "Robin Scherbatsky, be prepared to help me dig."

Robin did as Ted instructed, and as they dug, a crack of thunder broke through the sky, bringing with it pouring rain that beat down on the ground exactly the way it had weeks ago.

After awhile, a hole had been thoroughly dug in the ground by both of them, and they placed their shovels down.

"Now what?" Robin asked.

Ted grabbed the blue French horn and smiled weakly. He saw the look of shock in Robin's eyes at that moment, and he could tell that she was confused. Unsure, maybe even a little frightened of what was going on and how drastic it was for Ted.

With no further hesitation, Ted placed the horn in the hole of the dirt. Then, very carefully, he replaced the mud on top of it until not a speck of blue could be seen above the muck. He patted down the top layer of dirt with a satisfactory _pat, pat _on the wet earth.

Ted looked at Robin, who, by now, was somewhat breathless. "Ted," she panted. "Is there a reason, a particular reason why you just did that? That blue French horn was iconic, how could you-"

"Exactly. It was iconic."

By now, the rain was pouring down upon the ground as heavily as it could get.

"What?"

"The blue French horn was iconic, Robin. It was iconic to our relationship. But that stuff is over now, I mean, look at you! Just a few weeks ago, you were the girl who was having doubts about getting married, y_ou_ were the one who thought that every little thing, every misplaced locket, every drop of rain, was a sign from the universe that you had made some kind of wrong move, but look at where you are now! You're married! You got there, you made it, you can continue on with your life knowing that all of those things are done now. Everything that brought you here, it doesn't matter anymore. And God forbid I say it, that includes our relationship."

Robin was speechless, and the only sound now was the sound of the raindrops steadily hitting the moist ground.

"Sometimes the universe just works that way, you know? We all get taken down these mysterious paths at some point in our lives, maybe we even get taken down roads that we don't want to walk on, but…something is bound to come out of it. And I guess, on occasion, you just need to let it all go for that to happen."

"Ted, I'm…I'm sorry," Robin finally apologized breathlessly.

Ted shook his head. "You don't need to be. This, doing this, was just a way for me to let you go. I've been working on this for awhile, and I'm getting there, one step after another. It's taken some time, I'll admit it, but…today's the day. I've done it, for good. You don't have to apologize anymore. I've moved on."

As he spoke, the rain had slowed down, and now, a small beam of sunlight had begun to shine from the clouds.

Robin brushed the hair from her eyes and gripped Ted's hand in hers, smiling just slightly through the few tears that had formed over this touching act.

"You're a great guy, Ted," she said, her voice shaky. "I really hope you get that girl soon."

"Hey, I'm working on it." He shrugged. "I'll get there. One step after another."

The clouds in the sky had since been replaced by the bright warmth of early summer sunlight. Ted and Robin both stood up.

"So what's with the weather lately?" Ted joked, looking towards the sky. "It only rained for how long, two minutes?"

"The universe is weird, Ted," Robin answered.

He smiled. "So it is." He was quiet for a few minutes, then asked, "You up for some wings at MacLaren's?"

Robin shrugged. "Sure, why not."

They headed off through the park, making small talk as they walked together. Neither of them would ever forget that day, but it was for the better. Ted moved on eventually to marry and have two children, and was far happier with his wife, Joanna, than he had ever been or would ever be with Robin.

And Robin had made one of the best decisions of her life- she'd married Barney, that suit-wearing, laser tag- loving, scotch-drinking, cigar-smoking, sarcastic goofball that she had liked since the first day they'd met.

_And that, _Ted thought as he and Robin walked together, _Is how letting go is done._


End file.
